APRIL 17 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING APRIL 17 2016.
IN OUR 21st YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
World Amateur Radio Day #WARD. -
WIA Foundation Licence app. -
WIA BOARD TALK President Phil Wait re ACMA meeting. -
WIA urges BPL/PLT action. -
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA 2016 AND FOR WEEK OF APR 17
World Amateur Radio Day #WARD observed every April 18, marks the founding of
the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in 1925. As we do every year,
radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves to celebrate Amateur Radio's
contribution to society.
"April 18 is the day for all of Amateur Radio to celebrate and tell the world
about the science we can help teach, the community service we can provide, and
the fun we have," the IARU said in announcing World Amateur Radio Day 2016.
"We hope you'll join in the fun and education that is World Amateur Radio Day!"
Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that -- far from being
a wasteland -- the shortwave spectrum could support worldwide propagation.
In a story penned by the ARRL, in the rush to use these shorter wavelengths,
Amateur Radio was "in grave danger of being pushed aside."
Amateur Radio pioneers -- ARRL co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, among them
met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.
As Maxim and his counterparts envisioned, the IARU is an international
confederation of national Amateur Radio organizations that allows a forum for
common matters of concern and collectively represents matters to the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Since its founding, the IARU has worked to defend and expand the frequency
allocations for Amateur Radio.
From the 25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the IARU has grown to
include 160 member-societies in three regions.
IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia.
Region 2 covers the Americas and
Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations,
and most of Asia.
Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with over 3,000,000 licensed
operators!
(arrl letter)
Become the 3millionth and one Ham by downloading a WIA app
In fact it's the WIA/RES Foundation Licence app.
Training for the popular Foundation Licence in Australia is now available as
an App for iOS and Android smart phones and tablets downloadable from iTunes
or Google Play.
The App, developed by the Radio & Electronics School (R&ES) with support of
the WIA, fills an unmet need in this niche market. The App goes through the
Foundation Licence syllabus step-by-step with 17 tutorials, and for the
Practical Assessment covers each competency in 20 tutorials.
While formal theory, regulation and practical classes suit most people, it
leaves those unable to attend for a number of reasons not able to easily access
the necessary training. They still need a WIA assessor to find them competent,
but now have an App to train on in preparation.
(vk3pc)
WIA BOARD TALK
President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au
Amateur radio in Australia will be both familiar and different in the future,
under the new radiocommunications licensing scheme being initiated with the
new Radiocommunications Act to be considered by the federal parliament later
this year.
On Tuesday 12th April, the WIA met with four senior executives of the ACMA to
scope the work to be done to design new licence conditions for amateur radio,
and to discuss a variety of issues being progressed over the past year.
Three WIA Board members attended - President Phil Wait VK2ASD, Vice President
Fred Swainston VK3DAC and Roger Harrison VK2ZRH, along with the WIA's
Regulatory Counsel, Peter Young VK3MV.
There was a very full agenda for the meeting, which included 10 specific topics
for discussion. All agenda topics were completed comfortably within the
three hours allotted.
The ACMA advised that the exposure draft of the new Radiocommunications Bill
will be published by the government around June, and input from the public will
be sought.
Ahead of the meeting, the WIA provided the ACMA with a comprehensive 22-page
submission on Future Amateur Licence Conditions, which readers can download
from http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2016/20160413-4/index.php
The ACMA was impressed with the scope and vision for future amateur licensing
set out in the WIA's submission, and indicated that there were few, if any,
real impediments to achieving substantive reform to meet the emerging
opportunities that will arise from the new Radiocommunications Act. However,
there will be a lot of work to do, some of which will necessarily involve
advice from the ACMA's engineering branch.
In addition to seeking improved licence conditions, and requesting early
access to the 5.3 MHz (60m) band allocated to amateurs at the recent World
Radio Conference, the WIA outlined its proposals to the ACMA for extending
frequency access in existing bands at 1.8 and 3.5 MHz, seeking additional bands
at 70 MHz and 920 MHz, acquiring primary status for 50-52 MHz and securing
better access to UHF and microwave bands in the face of threats from spectrum
demands of the mobile broadband telecommunications industry and the NBN.
Various means of sharing spectrum will be a feature of the new
Radiocommunications Act, but seeing exactly how such arrangements will pan out
for amateur radio will have to wait.
The ACMA indicated that public consultation on the review of the Australian
Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan will occur around the third quarter of 2016,
during which the WIA's proposals concerning frequency access will be able to be
considered in detail.
We have begun the journey towards a new, less restrictive regime of licence
conditions that will enable all amateurs to explore, experiment and learn about
any and every facet of radiocommunications - to adapt, adopt and innovate with
new and emerging technologies as the fancy takes them.
The meeting agreed that the revised and updated Deed and Business Rules for
services performed by the WIA for the ACMA can now be finalised, having been
under development and discussion between the WIA and the ACMA over the past
year.
Other agenda items discussed included the WIA's approach to amateur radio's
possible roles in science, technology, engineering and maths education; licence
renewal issues, some of which have been resolved and others are being addressed;
interference/RF pollution issues were discussed - particularly from NBN
installations and BPL/PLT products, to be addressed through the current review
of equipment standards. The review of overseas operator qualifications will
continue, the WIA working with the ACMA to determine reciprocal licensing
arrangements in the future. Repeater and beacon licence application delays were
discussed and issues affecting them will continue to be addressed, with the aim
of reducing delays.
The ACMA and WIA agreed that it was a very productive meeting.
To progress the WIA's proposals on licence conditions and frequency bands, the
ACMA suggested that we meeting again around August-September, when more will be
known about the shape of things to come with the new Radiocommunications Act
and the Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan update.
WIA Annual Election 2016
The voting for the election of 3 Directors, for a 2 year period, was conducted
during the month of March 2016.
1199 eligible reply paid envelopes were received by the closing of the postal
ballot, as at the last mail collected on the 31 March 2016.
The Returning Officer, assisted by two scrutineers, Bob Duckworth VK3AIC and
Bob Tait VK3XP, counted the ballot votes.
The results of the election, in ballot (alphabetical) paper order are:
Stuart Fillmore VK5STU 348
John Fisher VK3DQ 158
Marc Hillman VK3OHM 360
James Linton VK3PC 311
John Longayroux VK3PZ 265
Paul Simmonds VK5PAS 705
Andrew Smith VK6AS 439
Phil Wait VK2ASD 657
I declare the above results to be an accurate presentation and record of the
ballots received. I therefore declare Paul Simmonds VK5PAS, Andrew Smith VK6AS,
and Phil Wait VK2ASD to be elected for a two year term, as Directors of the
WIA, commencing after the AGM in May, 2016.
Thank you to all who voted in this election, a notable increase of about 1/3rd
over last year.
Thank you to the candidates for making yourselves available to serve the
WIA membership and the Australian amateur radio community.
A more comprehensive report will be published in Amateur Radio magazine.
Geoff Atkinson VK3AFA
WIA Returning Officer
The new Foundation Manual is available
The popular 'Your Entry into Amateur Radio, The Foundation Licence Manual' is
now in its 3rd Edition, having debuted 10 years ago with the introduction of
the entry level licence.
The WIA formed a sub-committee to review, revise and publish the third edition
of this very successful study aid.
A team consisting of, Robert Broomhead VK3DN, Jim Linton VK3PC, Peter
Hartfield VK3PH and Ivan Smith (Communique Graphics), have worked hard to
revise the manual.
So it's thanks to those who have provided feedback on the second edition of this
must have, reference manual for entry into Amateur Radio in Australia.
The 3rd edition contains revised text, more images, the latest first aid
resuscitation chart and a copy of the band plans that were released by the
WIA at the end of 2015.
The Manual is attractively presented and contains all the information needed
to qualify for the Foundation Licence. It includes the Foundation Licence
syllabus and other extracts reproduced with permission of the Australian
Communications and Media Authority.
The WIA urges action be taken against all in-home powerline telecommunications
(PLT) devices that do not comply with the CISPR 22 (International Special
Committee on Radio Interference) standard.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is reviewing the
regulation for PLT devices that send radio frequency signals over powerlines to
enable broadband access including the internet.
The WIA actively participates in the work of spectrum management, consultative
standards bodies, and as a member society also contributes its expertise
through the International Amateur Radio Union. The WIA has been very active in
the PLT arena, both as a member of Australian Standards committee TE 003 and
through direct representations to the ACMA and participation in domestic trials.
In a submission it called for the ACMA to continue with the CISPR 22 standard
to ensure the protection of existing and future Radiocommunication services
from radio noise pollution or interference. The ACMA has asked whether it
should use an alternative standard (EN50561), but the WIA is against that move
describing CISPR as remaining to be the most relevant organisation in the area
of the PLT standard. If the ACMA chose to adopt the alternative, the WIA wants
it modified for Australian conditions including its compliance test regime, and
the notching for protected frequencies be a permanent feature that cannot be
removed or deactivated. While notching has greatly reduced interference,
currently not all Amateur Radio bands are given that protection.
The WIA wants a warning notice on all PLT devices that state such devices may
be responsible for radio interference that needed remedial action including
removing the device from use. Suppliers have imported PLT devices that are not
compliant with CISPR 22. The WIA believes there should be more effective
compliance measures for all imported devices, together with frequent random
checks and audits. Harmful interference can disrupt or degrade existing
spectrum users, some of a medical nature, but that use will rapidly grow in a
few years.
HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
VK3
web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/
Moorabbin & District Radio Club HamFest 2016 will be Saturday 7th May
at 10am, Southern Community Centre, Rupert Drive, Mulgrave with major door
prizes, free tea and coffee, light refreshments and sausage sizzle on offer.
Icom will be showcasing their new IC7300.
Graeme Lewis VK3GL says it's Victoria's biggest HamFest for everybody
interested in Radio Communications and Electronics, BUT for some reason
this year, current bookings for tables are down on the usual so Moorabbin
is looking to fill the vacancies ASAP.
Trader table bookings and general enquires can be made by emailing
vk3gl@bigpond.com or by phoning 0418 171 601.
Portable show and tell event
During this Sunday morning's broadcast the portable operating Show and Tell
event is underway at the Brisbane Ranges National Park west of Melbourne.
Some dozens have gathered for the now annual event with a group of presenters
showing what can be done with portable Amateur Radio.
This event is followed by a free sausage sizzle, and also listen for VK3WI
that will be there operating portable. An example of how portable operation
has grown is the latest Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award certificate
given for working all 45 National Parks in Victoria.
It has been sent Nick Lock VK3ANL, who began his quest by contacting VK3JHRA
in Grampians National Park in April 2013, and finished it off this month by
working Peter VK3PF at the Snowy River National Park.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.
Many 'Hans' make satellites work.
IARU announces its new Satellite Adviser
The International Amateur Radio Union has appointed Hans Blondeel Timmerman
PB2T, as the new IARU Satellite Adviser.
The position represents the IARU to the satellite community and performs
satellite frequency coordination. In addition it has responsibility for
maintaining correspondence, reporting to the IARU Administrative Council,
and if requested provide technical and operation advice. The Satellite
Advisor is assisted by a panel of volunteer satellite advisory members.
Hans Blondeel Timmerman PB2T was first licensed in 1980, carrying out many
roles including being the IARU Region 1 President from 2008 to 2014.
He replaces Hans van de Groenendaal ZS6AKV, who has served as IARU Satellite
Adviser since 1994. During his time he established many of the procedures used
for amateur satellite frequency coordination today, and the IARU extends its
gratitude for the excellent work. He will remain as special advisor to the
satellite committee.
Sisters called to White House
Geek Wire reports the Seattle sisters who sent a balloon to the edge of space
are heading to the White House
Last September, 2015, Rebecca, 10, and Kimberly, 8, went out to Moses Lake
with their parents to launch a spacecraft they designed and built.
"We built a spacecraft that was attached to a weather balloon and parachute,"
Rebecca explains. "We launched it in Central Washington. We took it to the
edge of space, 78,000 feet up. It's called the Loki Lego Launcher 1, or
L-Cubed-1, because Loki was our cat. Lego because every time we launch we want
to send up a different Lego mini figure."
Their father, Winston Yeung KI7CSK, helps with the RF
Their ingenuity caught the attention of the Obama administration and the
girls were invited to participate in the president's last White House Science
Fair on Wednesday, April 13.
Amanda Stone, White House Senior Program Manager in the office of Digital
Strategy, says the sisters hope to launch the APRS equipped spacecraft again
during their spring break, but the voyage had been postponed until after their
trip to D.C.
Read the Geek Wire story at
geekwire.com/2016/seattle-girls-sent-balloon-edge-space-heading-white-house/
Beijing targets free radio stations
It is reported that in February officials in Beijing initiated a six-month,
nationwide crackdown on free radio broadcasters
Apparently so far over 400 stations have been shut down cross the country.
Officials say these broadcasts are taking place in all the areas administered
by the government in Beijing with the exception of Tibet.
Authorities estimate it can cost around $10,000 AUD a month to set up and
maintain the transmitters, which are normally based in residential areas.
Some of the larger operations are reportedly able to make millions of dollars
in profits through the sale of their air-time.
This is perhaps an indication of the popularity of the stations.
china.org.cn/china/2016-04/11/content_38216097.htm
International Marconi Day
International Marconi Day is a 24 hour amateur radio event held annually to
celebrate the birth of Guglielmo Marconi on 25th April 1874.
This year IMD will be held on Saturday 23rd April with many special event
stations on air which count as points towards the Marconi Award.
Certificates are available for both transmitting stations and SWL stations.
A list of participating special event stations may be found at
gx4crc.com/imd-stations/
A Facebook page is also available, just enter International Marconi Day
GB4IMD in the Facebook search area.
A ham radio user caught what appears to be a UFO report near Utah while
monitoring communications between commercial airliners and control tower.
UFO researchers were able to get a copy of the transmission from the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in response to a Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) request.
Pat Daniels, a paranormal radio host and ham radio hobbyist, heard exactly
what he was looking for, a UFO report. According to the website UFOs
Northwest, Daniels claims:
"The pilot reported seeing an extremely large bright object that he
estimated a mile wide to his right. The air traffic controller told him that
he was looking in the direction of Nephi, Utah. Apparently the air traffic
controller told the pilot that the object was not detected on radar. The
object appeared to keep pace with the aircraft."
Researchers are now asking that anyone on American Airlines flight 434
contact them. The flight left San Francisco at 10:08 pm PST on Wednesday,
January 13, 2016 and arrived at Philadelphia at 5:35 am EST on January 14,
2016.
openminds.tv/american-airlines-ufo-report-caught-on-ham-radio/36840
OPERATIONAL NEWS 2016
A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug commercial
traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put your supporters in this text
edition "no worries."
If you would like to submit news items for inclusion in the
VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to nationalnews@wia.org.au
and don't JUST send url's links but take the time to pen YOUR contribution.
To submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
Remember the sooner you submit material the more the likelihood of it being
broadcast in the very next edition of WIA National News. Each item will only
be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please submit different
slants to keep your event 'fresh 'and always if the news room is to read your
item write in the 3rd person.
Our alternative AX prefix available on ANZAC Day
For ANZAC Day Monday April 25, all VK radio amateurs may use the alternative
AX callsign prefix. The WIA recommends that those using the AX prefix issue
a special QSL card particularly for prefix and card chasers.
The annual QRP Hours contest will run on 9th April on 80m.
Harry Angel 80 mtr sprint (WIA) Saturday 7th May.
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 6 - 7
Remembrance or RD Contest August 13-14
36th ALARA Contest is on the last full weekend in August, Aug 27-28.
Hi, this is Julie VK3FOWL, and Joe VK3YSP.
The School Amateur Radio Club Network and the Melbourne Region Scouts will be
joining forces to present an ANZAC DAY AMATEUR RADIO SPECIAL EVENT at the
1st Bentleigh Scout Hall, 21 Patterson Rd Bentleigh, Victoria on Monday the
25th of April from 9am to 4pm.
This family event is for schools, scouts and aspiring young amateur radio
enthusiasts.
It includes:
ANZAC day ceremony
High Altitude Balloon launch and tracking
BBQ lunch and drinks
School Amateur Radio Club displays and demonstrations
Scout proficiency badge activities
Amateur satellite, shortwave, line-of-sight and weak-signal communications
Hidden transmitter hunts
First Aid CPR demonstrations; and
A joint search and rescue mission
For more information and to register for this event please visit:
www.sarcnet.org
73 from Julie VK3FOWL and Joe VK3YSP.
Good Morning, this is Denis Johnstone (VK4AE) Contest Manager for the
John Moyle Memorial Field Day.
Logs are still being submitted for the JMMFD, but with 45 logs received, fewer
than this point in the contest last year.
The direct e-mail address as suggested on the WIA John Moyle website has
continued to receive logs and it is recommended that you use this address.
A few logs have been resubmitted after failing to arrive the first time.
It is still strongly recommended, that if you sent your log to
jmfd2016@wia.org.au you should confirm that it has been received by checking
on the log received list on the John Moyle web page. If your callsign is not
on that list, then your log has not been received. All logs as they are
receipted the callsign is quickly added to this list.
One log was received which is just an image of the log and the data cannot be
read electronically and hence the log is unusable. Remember that while a
picture may be worth 1000 words to you or I, it contains no more log details
than a photo of a flower and is hence useless to a computer and will have to
be rejected.
It is timely to remind everyone, that time has run away and there are only a
few days left to submit your log. Don't forget that entries close at Midnight
19th April 2016.
Following this, all of the logs will be processed and results prepared and
will made available as soon as possible after that date. So check if your log
is on the list, then resend it if it is not and if you haven't yet submitted
your log, then it might be a very good idea to submit it now and then to check
to make sure it has been received.
Thanks for listening
International Marconi Day 2016
`VK2YJS in his audio today reminds all that International Marconi Day falls on
23 April this year. HADARC is the holder of the Australian Marconi Day station
licence - VK2IMD.
VK2IMD is the only IMD station in Australia. It gains this privilege because
of the wireless communication experiments conducted personally between Ernest
Fisk and Marconi in 1918. Fisk established the Australian end of the experiment
at his home in Wahroonga, giving the historical significance to our local area
(text sourced to Hornsby Club website)
Listen for Ben, , working as 8Q7NT from Embudu Island, South Male
Atoll through to this weekend April 17. Ben is on 40-10 meters using
CW with some RTTY and PSK. Send QSLs via his home callsign DL 1 RNT
Mike, SQ3PMM, is active as 9X9MM throughout Rwanda, working 80 through
10 meters. He is using CW and SSB. Most of his operations have been on
20/15 meters SSB and some slow CW. See his QSL information on QRZ.com.
A team of operators will be on the air as EP2A from the Gilan Province in
Iran between 16th and 25th April. They will be using 160 to 6m bands,
except 60m, using CW, SSB and RTTY.
They will have four stations on the air.
QSL via YL 2 GM either direct or bureau.
Brian, GW 4 DVB will be active as J88PI from Palm Island in St Vincent and
the Grenadines, NA-025, from 12th to 22nd of April.
6 to 40m bands SSB only.
QSL, see QRZ.com
RAST has SEANET and its convention
The Radio Amateur Society of Thailand (RAST) has begun as net control for the
SEANET on air gathering of radio amateurs in Southeast Asia every Monday and
Friday at 1200 UTC on 14.320 MHz.
RAST Vice President, Tony Waltham HS0ZDX the net control operator begins by
calling for check-ins from countries in Southeast Asia, followed by elsewhere
in Asia and the Pacific, then in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North,
Central and South America.
The net has been revived ahead of RAST hosting the 2016 SEANET Convention in
Pattaya, a popular beach resort on the Gulf of Thailand, from November 18-21.
To register to attend the 44th SEANET Convention see the information at the
website www.seanet2016.com
SEANET which began in late 1963 is a guide to propagation and a meeting point
before QSYing away from the net frequency for a QSO. The first SEANET
Convention was held in Penang in 1971.
Its origins are that radio amateurs in the region met on air November 29, 1963
to promote international understanding and fellowship, and to relay emergency,
medical, urgent or priority traffic.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video
arvideonews.com
hamradiotube.com
youtube.com
qdg.org.au
Transmitting DATV with just a Raspberry Pi
Evariste Courjaud F 5 OEO has created RPiDATV which is capable of allowing
the Raspberry Pi to transmit DVB-S Digital Amateur TV (DATV)
The software enables a Raspberry Pi computer board to transmit a DATV signal
in DVB-S format and can be decoded with a RTL-SDR by using the LeanDVB
software which is bundled together with the RPiDATV software
The software is capable of generating a symbol rate from 64k to 1M.
A 250k symbol transmission would only need 300 kHz of bandwidth.
At the moment video latency is about 1 - 2 seconds and is still being improved.
(SouthGate)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FEMALES IN RADIO
ALARA - AUSTRALIAN LADIES AR ASSOCIATION
http://alara.org.au
Net is held each Mondays on 3.570 MHz, commencing at 1030 UTC.
(1000utc during daylight saving)
Tina Clogg VK5TMC reminds ALARA members that you are close to the end of the
current committee's term and the AGM is near. Because of unforeseen
circumstances the committee has moved the AGM to 16 May 2016 instead of the
usual first Monday of May.
Please put this date in your diary so they achieve a quorum for the AGM.
If ALARA fail to get a quorum there are only two additional Mondays in the
month to reconvene the AGM. Their constitution and Victorian corporate rules
require that they have the AGM within five months of the end of the financial
year which is 31 Dec.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT KEPs Redistribution Approved for 2016-2017
AMSAT's request to re-distribute US Air Force Space Command Keplerian elements
from SpaceTrack has been approved for the period April 1, 2016 to April 1, 2017.
Ray, WA5QGD, says they are good to go for another year.
(AMSAT NA and WA5QGD)
The first-ever satellite to carry a D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for
Amateur Radio) Amateur Radio payload into space is expected to launch April 22
from Guiana.
The OUFTI-1 (Orbital Utility For Telecommunication Innovations) CubeSat
is developed by student teams under the European Space Agency (ESA) Education
Office "Fly Your Satellite!" program, which is aimed at training the next
generation of aerospace professionals.
Again the Soyuz launch vehicle is "go for go" April 22.
Constructed by students at the University of Liege in Belgium, OUFTI-1 will be
the first satellite to carry an Amateur Radio D-STAR transponder.
Developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League, D-STAR enables the simultaneous
transmission of voice and digital data as well as call sign-based roaming
via the Internet.
The CubeSat's frequencies are 145.950 MHz (FSK AX.25 and D-STAR down,
with an uplink at 435.045 MHz. OUFTI-1 will carry a CW beacon transmitting
on 145.980 MHz.
(arrl)
CBC News in the United States have carried a lengthy story on ARISS
Students in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, made a very special long distance call
when students connected with the International Space Station.
Students got 15 minutes to talk with American astronaut Jeff Williams.
Canadas' First Air helped fly in representatives from the Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station group to set up the contact.
ARISS representative Steve Macfarlane says part of the challenge is getting
across how rare the opportunity is and how much work goes into making a brief
radio contact with an astronaut in space possible.
That means convincing students that "this is really happening you're talking
to somebody that's not on the planet. You've got to set that up for the
students, especially the younger ones.
"And then, once his voice starts crackling through the radio Initially the
connection is not good, it improves and then it disintegrates as the space
station swivels away."
Leading up to the radio contact, the group did a presentation on science and
engineering, including an appearance by a humanoid robot, whom Macfarlane
said is "very popular."
"He gets up and he talks to the students and they love him."
Good to see new twists keeping old hat radio calls to space alive.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA
http://rsgbiota.org
OC-183
Boullanger Island lies north of Fremantle off the coast of Western Australia
and covers an area of just on 35 hectares. The nearest settlement is the
mainland town of Jurien Bay.
To its north , a speck of just 3 hectares is an island named 'Favorite'
Pavel VK6NAX and Sergey VK6FSAG will be portable from both Boullanger
and Favorite Islands in this part of the Indian Ocean close to the VK6
mainland April 15-18th on 40,20, 15 meters CW and 40/15 meters SSB.
We don't have their QSL info so I'd suggest if you work them .. ask them
AS-202
This is a new IOTA and in just a couple of weeks the A 91 HI DXpedition team
will assemble in Bahrain, to prepare for their departure to Hawar Island
AS-202. All equipment has been shipped and has already arrived safely in
Bahrain. Everything is good to go with all necessary clearances, permits and
licenses now in hand.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP --- POLITICS
Like us at the news desk we were not aware an interest group in politics
was with us.
YET
Local hams particularly in South East VK4 now maybe have a pipeline to
"The Big Wigs" themselves.
It seems VK4FPGT is just a little more than a callsign.
VK4FPGT is the new Ipswich Deputy Mayor Paul Tully.
He's the youngest councillor ever elected to the Ipswich City Council
and is the longest serving councillor in Queensland, having served 37 years
and won 12 consecutive elections.
Tully is believed set to become the longest-serving politician in Australia
after the retirement of Phillip Ruddock from federal parliament later this
year.
As a licensed Australian amateur ham radio operator, VK4FPGT often talks
around the world with other licensed amateurs... "mmm now how high CAN
I get my new tower Paul?"
(Sourced to QT, the Queensland Times)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO
IARU REGION 3
Emergency Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies
3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz
WICEN is supporting a number of events. These are fairly short, and ideal for
new members.
The event, The Bay Run at Drummoyne in Sydney is May 1.
Albury-Wodonga's event, with the 10 km run option crossing from Wodonga, onto
Gateway Island, to Albury and back, is on May 22.
The Hunter event will be May 29.
True Grit, a running and obstacle course event will be on June 11 and 12 in
Lower Portland.
Navshield, held at an as yet to be disclosed location within a few hour's
drive of Sydney, will be on the 1st to 3rd of July.
WICEN ACT is part of the Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club, and events include
the BMSC National Capital Rally over the weekend of May 28 and 29.
The Sapphire Coast Sporting Car Club Bega Rally is on June 11 and 12.
WICEN Victoria are supporting the Australian 4 Day Enduro, a motorcycle event
from 11 May around Mansfield.
The Kendra Rally Sunday, May 15.
The Mallee Rally is on the weekend of 11 and 12 June at Sea Lake, some
distance south of Euston and Robinvale.
(wicen interweb site)
WICEN Weather Watch
Cyclone Season is about and northern Hams need to be in the know about curly
wind movements to be ready for activation. VK4'ers check regularly the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology website, bom.gov.au/cyclone
SOCIAL SCENE 2016
April 17 VK6 HARGfest 96 Gladys Road Lesmurdie open to public 10am (vk6zms)
April 30 vk6 PerthTech (wia)
Ap-May 29-2 VK4 Clairview Gathering check Mackay ARS website. (theTARCinc)
May 7 VK3 Moorabbin & District Radio Club HamFest, Mulgrave. (VK3GL)
May 27-29 VK9 WIA AGM this year on Norfolk Island (wia.org)
June 3- 5 VK4 Central Highlands Social Gathering Theresa Creek dam (wia)
June 4 VK4 BARCfest Mt Gravatt Showgrounds. (vk4atc)
June 11-13 VK5 VK Foxhunting Championship & SERG convention Mt Gambier(VK5HCF)
July 9-10 VK3 GippsTech 2016 Churchill (vk3pf@wia.org.au)
Aug 7 VK6 NCRG HamFest 9am Cyril Jackson Community Hall Ashfield (vk6rk)
Sep 23-25 VK4 Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club AGM weekend
Lake Maraboon Holiday Village, near Emerald. (theTARCinc)
Sep-Oct 30-3 VK4 Cardwell Gathering Long Weekend, Beachcomber Motel(theTARCinc)
Nov 6 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am! (VK5KC)
2017
March 26 VK3 EMDRC HamFest, Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont (VK3BQ)
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National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
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